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Green Armour
A STORY OF THE JUNGLE AND THE SEA, OF MAN AGAINST NATURE AND MAN AGAINST MAN…
GREEN AMOUR is the courageous story of fighting men in the swamps and jungles of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. From the earliest days of forlorn hopes to the large-scale, well-organised attacks by land, sea, and air his terrifying first-hand account is distilled from the bloody, despairing experiences of the Australian and American forces in the early days of the Second World War...
“A brilliant and exciting narrative.”—TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT
“Osmar White saw more of the bloody action in New Guinea than any other reporter who has yet written about it.”—NEW YORK TIMES
“Grim, realistic account of the hardships and terrors of jungle warfare."—BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION
Green Armour is a story of the jungle and the sea, of man against nature, of man against man. It is the story of fighting men in the swamps and jungles of New Guinea, in the islands and atolls and tangled waterways of the Solomon Islands.
Its sources were four dog-eared notebooks marked New Guinea, February-October 1942; a diary, with the U.S. Pacific Fleet, April-July 1943; a file of dispatches to Australian Newspapers; and a recollection of certain places, men and events which need no annotation to remain forever sharp in the memory.
Written from a knowledge that few, if any, correspondents possessed, Green Armour is a first-hand account of war in the Pacific from the earliest days of forlorn hopes to the large-scale, well-organised attacks by land, sea and air—a taut, terrifying account, distilled from the bloody, despairing experiences of the Australian and American forces in the early years of the World War II.
GREEN AMOUR is the courageous story of fighting men in the swamps and jungles of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. From the earliest days of forlorn hopes to the large-scale, well-organised attacks by land, sea, and air his terrifying first-hand account is distilled from the bloody, despairing experiences of the Australian and American forces in the early days of the Second World War...
“A brilliant and exciting narrative.”—TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT
“Osmar White saw more of the bloody action in New Guinea than any other reporter who has yet written about it.”—NEW YORK TIMES
“Grim, realistic account of the hardships and terrors of jungle warfare."—BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION
Green Armour is a story of the jungle and the sea, of man against nature, of man against man. It is the story of fighting men in the swamps and jungles of New Guinea, in the islands and atolls and tangled waterways of the Solomon Islands.
Its sources were four dog-eared notebooks marked New Guinea, February-October 1942; a diary, with the U.S. Pacific Fleet, April-July 1943; a file of dispatches to Australian Newspapers; and a recollection of certain places, men and events which need no annotation to remain forever sharp in the memory.
Written from a knowledge that few, if any, correspondents possessed, Green Armour is a first-hand account of war in the Pacific from the earliest days of forlorn hopes to the large-scale, well-organised attacks by land, sea and air—a taut, terrifying account, distilled from the bloody, despairing experiences of the Australian and American forces in the early years of the World War II.
246 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1945
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 24, 2021
Osmar White was a journalist for the Herald & Weekly Times during World War Two, and was sent by that paper to cover the war in New Guinea. Green Armour is his collection of thoughts about what he saw during that time, and written before the War had finished, but written when he knew the War was won.
This provided the author with an interesting perspective - he had the liberty to write about the events he had seen at Wau, Salamaua, and Kokoda with more truthfulness than he could at the time, and his recovery from wounds he received at Rendova Island gave him time to think strategically about how those early efforts by Australian and US forces had paved the way for the later, successful use of such forces in the island hopping campaign waged by MacArthur and Nimitz throughout the Pacific.
The first section of the book deals with the beginning of the campaign in New Guinea, and focuses on just how woefully unprepared the Australian troops were for any serious invasion. White explains how, if Japan had been bold enough to attack Moresby in March 1942, they would have succeeded, as both land, sea and air power from the Allied side were virtually non-existent at that time. White graphically describes how the lone squadron of Kittyhawks were just enough to stave off disaster in that crucial period.
White then recounts his journey, with two other legendary correspondents in Chester Wilmot and Damien Parer, through the jungle to Wau to see at first hand the activities of Kanga Force. White's description of the cruel nature of the terrain, and the virtual impossibility of supply through the jungle, is masterful journalism. The title of the book "Green Armour" refers to the New Guinea mountain jungle, which protected Australian forces when they were on the defensive, and, as White shows, helped the Japanese when they became the hunted.
White was present during the worst of the fighting along the Kokoda Track, before the Australians had learned to use the jungle to their advantage, and when, frankly, they were routed by the Japanese. He describes the confusion, panic and fear that comes with not knowing where the enemy is at any moment. He also describes the effect of the country and lack of supplies and equipment, with underfed and poorly looked-after men suffering as much from disease and sickness as from the depredations of the enemy.
The third section of the book deals with the preparation and early phases of the New Georgia campaign. The landings on and around New Georgia were the first trial of the concept of amphibious landings and island fighting that was to dominate the rest of the Pacific War. White demonstrates in his description how the jungle made attack difficult, how the planning of this early campaign did not take into account the difficulty of the terrain, or the tenaciousness of the Japanese in defence. However, White does demonstrate how the overwhelming material advantage held by the United States was slowly being brought to bear on the fighting, and how this capacity was changing the thinking of the Commanders of those forces, and also the Commanders of the Japanese Forces.
This book has the status of a classic of the genre, and one can see why - as a description of the early fighting in the South Pacific, this is hard to beat.
Recommended.
Check out my other reviews at http://aviewoverthebell.blogspot.com.au/
This provided the author with an interesting perspective - he had the liberty to write about the events he had seen at Wau, Salamaua, and Kokoda with more truthfulness than he could at the time, and his recovery from wounds he received at Rendova Island gave him time to think strategically about how those early efforts by Australian and US forces had paved the way for the later, successful use of such forces in the island hopping campaign waged by MacArthur and Nimitz throughout the Pacific.
The first section of the book deals with the beginning of the campaign in New Guinea, and focuses on just how woefully unprepared the Australian troops were for any serious invasion. White explains how, if Japan had been bold enough to attack Moresby in March 1942, they would have succeeded, as both land, sea and air power from the Allied side were virtually non-existent at that time. White graphically describes how the lone squadron of Kittyhawks were just enough to stave off disaster in that crucial period.
White then recounts his journey, with two other legendary correspondents in Chester Wilmot and Damien Parer, through the jungle to Wau to see at first hand the activities of Kanga Force. White's description of the cruel nature of the terrain, and the virtual impossibility of supply through the jungle, is masterful journalism. The title of the book "Green Armour" refers to the New Guinea mountain jungle, which protected Australian forces when they were on the defensive, and, as White shows, helped the Japanese when they became the hunted.
White was present during the worst of the fighting along the Kokoda Track, before the Australians had learned to use the jungle to their advantage, and when, frankly, they were routed by the Japanese. He describes the confusion, panic and fear that comes with not knowing where the enemy is at any moment. He also describes the effect of the country and lack of supplies and equipment, with underfed and poorly looked-after men suffering as much from disease and sickness as from the depredations of the enemy.
The third section of the book deals with the preparation and early phases of the New Georgia campaign. The landings on and around New Georgia were the first trial of the concept of amphibious landings and island fighting that was to dominate the rest of the Pacific War. White demonstrates in his description how the jungle made attack difficult, how the planning of this early campaign did not take into account the difficulty of the terrain, or the tenaciousness of the Japanese in defence. However, White does demonstrate how the overwhelming material advantage held by the United States was slowly being brought to bear on the fighting, and how this capacity was changing the thinking of the Commanders of those forces, and also the Commanders of the Japanese Forces.
This book has the status of a classic of the genre, and one can see why - as a description of the early fighting in the South Pacific, this is hard to beat.
Recommended.
Check out my other reviews at http://aviewoverthebell.blogspot.com.au/
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July 29, 2011I found the writing style of this book hard work, I was easily distracted. The information in it was amazing however. The conditions these soldiers went through are beyond anything any human should have to endure.
October 25, 2015
Excellent first person account by an Australian war Correspondant of the fighting on the Kokoda Trail and later, with the American Army, on New Georgia. He highlights the lack of prepardness of the Australian forces deployed to New Guniea to blunt the Japanese in the early days of 1942.
October 26, 2017
This was a refreshingly direct account of the unfolding of the Pacific War as it unravelled towards Australia, written 'on the spot' by what we would now call an 'embedded' journalist. This is not a book about details, dates or individual heroes but is instead a collection of observations about the Enemy strengths and the Allies' difficulty in countering them, written from the target zones, with all of it written before the 'big picture' was put together and the myths and legends created from the aftermath of ultimate success.
I particularly enjoyed reading his reports of responses from the few survivors of the Rabaul invasion as they made it home, because of a family connection to that event.
I particularly enjoyed reading his reports of responses from the few survivors of the Rabaul invasion as they made it home, because of a family connection to that event.
November 1, 2018
Brutal and at times touching the poetic in descriptions of battle and the endurance of the human spirit in times of great stress. This book held me spellbound. Highly recommended.
October 12, 2025
This is an Australian journalist's account of fighting in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands in the early months of World War II. The conditions in New Guinea - the steep terrain, the dense jungle, and the harsh weather - arguably made for the harshest combat conditions during that war or any other.
The centerpiece of the book is the author's account of a supply run across the spine of the Owen Stanley range, over the Kokoda Trail. As a non-combatant, he was given aid the soldiers weren't - the best places to sleep and he had a personal servant. Still, the hardships were intense, and he came away from the experience with malaria and pneumonia.
Another interesting passage is his account of his position on New Georgia being overrun by the Japanese. He and four other men spent six hours in a coral foxhole waiting for relief.
This is not the best journalist account of the war I've read, but it fills a gap in the story. As is par for the course of this sort of book - written under fire, in the heat of the moment - there's a fair amount of casual racism. It's generally "the Japs" who bear the brunt of this treatment, but the natives in New Guinea are black, so the adult males are invariably called "boy". Disappointing, but not unexpected.
The centerpiece of the book is the author's account of a supply run across the spine of the Owen Stanley range, over the Kokoda Trail. As a non-combatant, he was given aid the soldiers weren't - the best places to sleep and he had a personal servant. Still, the hardships were intense, and he came away from the experience with malaria and pneumonia.
Another interesting passage is his account of his position on New Georgia being overrun by the Japanese. He and four other men spent six hours in a coral foxhole waiting for relief.
This is not the best journalist account of the war I've read, but it fills a gap in the story. As is par for the course of this sort of book - written under fire, in the heat of the moment - there's a fair amount of casual racism. It's generally "the Japs" who bear the brunt of this treatment, but the natives in New Guinea are black, so the adult males are invariably called "boy". Disappointing, but not unexpected.
December 11, 2022
The language can be a little confronting at times, but the book was written nearly 80 years ago.
The author provides such a vivid description of what the soldiers endured my admiration for them has increased and I didn't think that was possible.
My grandfather fought in New Guinea but never liked to talk about it. This provided some insight into what he went through.
The author provides such a vivid description of what the soldiers endured my admiration for them has increased and I didn't think that was possible.
My grandfather fought in New Guinea but never liked to talk about it. This provided some insight into what he went through.
June 1, 2021
A moving tribute to the men who fought in the South Pacific
From eyewitnesses who where there as reporters. This campaign was not overly reported on as the war with Japan was nearing the end.
From eyewitnesses who where there as reporters. This campaign was not overly reported on as the war with Japan was nearing the end.
March 13, 2025
"The only hurt was the thought of how many of them would never again see this quiet grove, the trees tinged red with brief winter, or feel the caress of the coarse grass, or lie on their backs watching the trade-wind clouds race over a sunny sky."
February 3, 2023
Good book but it's pretty openly racist
July 3, 2024
A vivid and compelling, first hand account of jungle warfare in New Guinea and the South West Pacific Islands during the Second World War.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews